WWE Hall of Famer Rick Rude was a ravishing and rugged superstar
Over the years, WWE has always had its cast of crazy and kooky characters. Especially in the 80's and 90's, when the promotion loved to be as over-the-top as possible. Their policy seemed to be: The more colorful the character? The better.
The WWE faithful were treated to everything from sheiks and snakes to dogs and dragons. The audience had witnessed all the glitz and glamour of the times. But they'd never seen anyone or anything quite like Ravishing Rick Rude.
Rude, a former bodybuilder, arm wrestler and bar bouncer, was one of several Minnesota wrestlers trained by the legendary Eddie Sharkey. The Road Warriors and Bob Backlund are just a few of the names who also learned under Sharkey's tutelege.
Born with the surname 'Rood', he later modified it. His new moniker fit his heel persona perfectly, and the early stages of Ravishing Rick Rude were taking shape. He gained experience in tough territories like Memphis and Florida before moving on to a very important stage of his young career.
In 1985, Rude journeyed to Texas, where he would feud with the Von Erichs. He became a major singles star there, becoming the first-ever World Class World Heavyweight Champion after they seceded from the NWA. During his tenure there, he was far and away the top heel in the promotion.
From there, Rude had a quick stint in the Carolina territory. He formed a dominant duo with Manny Fernandez, known as The Awesome Twosome. They captured the NWA World Tag Team titles from The Rock 'n' Roll Express before The Ravishing One bolted for the bright lights of New York.
Now in WWE, Rude was pushed to the moon as one of the company's most intriguing villains
It was at this point that Rude really turned it up a notch. He used his amazing physique and cocky attitude to anger the men and seduce the women in the audience. This was where Rude found his niche, and he took it to a whole new level.
@MadScientistFF Ravishing Rick Rude https://t.co/tfBuVCsTB5
His opening presentation alone was enough to set the crowd afire, but Rude could also handle his business in the squared circle. He was just as unbreakable outside the ring. Stories of his mean streak and legendary toughness have been repeated by his contemporaries over the years.
Basically, he was the kind of dude who could make your girlfriend faint, and then knock you out cold if you had a problem with it.
Rude would win the Intercontinental Championship on two occasions. After leaving WWE and going to WCW, he won multiple titles there, including three stints as the International World Champion.
Rick Rude https://t.co/1aXFiS7lKE
It was in World Championship Wrestling where he suffered a career-ending injury during a match against Sting.
He would cash in on his Lloyd's of London insurance policy, essentially ending his competitive career. He would stay involved in the industry by becoming a manager, but over time, he began longing for a return to the squared circle.
He eventually returned to WWE as the cornerman for the groundbreaking D-Generation X faction of Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Chyna. While he technically wasn't allowed to wrestle, he still got physically involved in their matches.
Then came the night that will forever go down in history.
Rude is the only person to ever appear on an episode of Monday Night RAW and WCW Monday Nitro on the same night
This was not a magic trick or some sort of crazy editing. Rude worked for WWE on a night-by-night basis. He was being paid cash at the end of every TV taping and was never given a proper contract, so he was basically free to go wherever he wanted at any time.
With RAW being recorded every other week, that night's episode was already in the can. Rude was on TNT live on the same evening he was on tape on USA Network. It was a great symbol of just how hot The Monday Night War really was at the time.
24 years ago today, Rick Rude became the first person to appear on both Raw and Nitro on the SAME night 🤯 https://t.co/PTV6Hc4gTm
While this will always go down as a huge moment in sports entertainment lore, it's really just a small part of Rude's terrific legacy. He made history in so many ways.
Rude passed away due to heart failure on April 20, 1999, at the age of 40. It's been reported that he was training in hopes for a return to the ring.
Ravishing Rick Rude was recognized by WWE for his amazing achievements by putting him in the Hall of Fame in 2017. He was posthumously inducted by his widow, Michelle, and his children, Merissa and Richard Jr.
Rick Rude will always be remembered as a legend of WWE's glory days. In many ways, he's just as recognizable and well-known as such titanic stars as Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant and The Iron Sheik. Everyone remembers his entrances and the posing. They recall his amazing physique and signature mustache.
But perhaps his greatest calling card is his keen ability to mix toughness and agility with sex appeal and showmanship. He captivated our imagination as the kind of guy that every woman wanted and every man envied.
Since his heyday, there have been a lot of bodybuilder types that ventured to WWE and tried to emulate Rude. There are also a lot of heels out there that try to infuriate the audience with their arrogance, much like he did.
But he may have done it better than anyone, ever. That's what made Rick Rude a legend. Many wrestlers can say they are tough or pretty, but none of them can say they were Rick Rude. He was one in a million and a cut above the rest. And that's what made him Simply Ravishing.